Maurice West Wins Top Spot on Rockford Ballot
A coin-draw lottery set Maurice West first on the Democratic mayoral primary ballot, ahead of the Feb. 23, 2027, election.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections
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Maurice West won a coin-draw lottery held by the Rockford Board of Election Commissioners on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, earning the top spot on the Democratic ballot for mayor. Mary McNamara Bernstein will hold the second spot on the Feb. 23, 2027, primary ballot.
Why it matters
Ballot position determines the order in which candidates appear to voters in the Democratic mayoral primary for Rockford. The drawing was needed because West and McNamara Bernstein filed their petitions of candidacy at the same time.
Four candidates will appear on the Feb. 23, 2027, Democratic primary ballot, with Gabrielle Torina and Dan Lewandowski following West and McNamara Bernstein in filing order. Republican Derrick Kunz has filed and will be unopposed on the primary ballot.
The players
Maurice West
Maurice West is a Democratic candidate for Rockford mayor who won the coin-draw lottery for top ballot position.
Mary McNamara Bernstein
Mary McNamara Bernstein is a Democratic candidate for Rockford mayor who will hold the second spot on the primary ballot.
Rockford Board of Election Commissioners
The Rockford Board of Election Commissioners is the local body that administers elections in Rockford and conducted the ballot-position drawing.
The details
Coins marked 1 and 2 were placed in a hat, and each candidate drew one to determine ballot position, a simple method the Rockford office has used in the past. The petition-objection deadline has passed, and independent candidate Bob Blosser is expected to run in the April 6, 2027, general election.
Timeline
Oct. 19, 2026: First day of candidate petition filing; West and McNamara Bernstein filed at 8 a.m.
Nov. 4, 2026: Board holds the ballot-position lottery.
Feb. 23, 2027: Democratic mayoral primary election.
April 6, 2027: General mayoral election.
Political Context
The Rockford Board of Election Commissioners has used a coin draw to order candidates in the past, and this drawing follows that same practice for simultaneous filers. Because ballot order can influence how voters encounter candidates, the procedure draws scrutiny in races with tied filing times.
Voters in Rockford will see candidates on the primary ballot in the order set by the drawing, with West listed first and McNamara Bernstein second. Residents who want to vote in the Democratic primary should note the Feb. 23, 2027, date, while the April 6, 2027, general election will decide the mayoral race.
The takeaway
Ballot order is set by chance when candidates file at the same moment, so voters in Rockford should check the official ballot before casting votes in the February primary. Tracking the Feb. 23 and April 6, 2027, dates will keep residents informed about the mayoral race.
What happens next
The Democratic mayoral primary is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2027, and the general mayoral election for April 6, 2027.
Further reading
For more on how local races take shape, see Elections coverage across Rockford.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rockford Register Star.
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